A MAN was stabbed four times in Basildon after refusing to hand over his phone.

The 30-year-old man, of Basildon, was walking to a kebab van in Somercoates Road at 2am on Sunday with his friend when he was approached by a group of two young women and two young men.

They demanded he hand over his phone and a fight broke out when he refused.

He was stabbed four times, twice in the leg, once in his backside and once in the back.

He said: “There was a bit of trouble.

“They said they wanted my phone but I wouldn’t give it to them and started fighting them.

“They stabbed me four times. There was more than one knife as there are different types of wounds.

“They were only about 19 or 20.”

He passed out due to the amount of blood lost and was rushed to hospital by ambulance. He is now recovering at home and is on painkillers.

He said: “It will make me think twice when I go out.

“You don’t expect people to have knives. I’m old school when someone has upset me, but kids nowadays seem to carry knives.”

He added that while in hospital there were several other people who also had stab wounds which might be linked to what happened to him.

He has been to give a statement to police and has also had forensics examine the wounds.

A spokesman from Essex Police said: “Police are investigating after a man in his 30s was stabbed in Basildon.

“Officers were called to Elizabeth Way at around 2.30am on Sunday.

“The victim had been attacked following an argument with a group of people. He suffered injuries to his legs and back but they are not life-threatening or life-changing.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.